~ Perspective from Vancouver

Vancouver and the Secret of the 1970’s

Vancouver has developed differently from any other city in North America in terms of its civic engagement, strong citizen identity and early adaptation to environmental concerns and social causes. Some of the events coming out of the 1970’s that profoundly changed Vancouver are in Kate Bird’s book Vancouver in the Seventies.

In the Youtube video below, local luminaries including Kate Bird, Shelley Fralic, Aaron Chapman and Michael Kluckner describe some of the key events in the 1970’s which have shaped Vancouver thought, culture and politics.

Kate Bird is also the guest curator of the Museum of Vancouver exhibit “Vancouver in the Seventies” which will be at the museum until February 26, 2017.

Reblogged this on Rob Nordrum and commented:
Insightful video into Vancouver’s transformation during the 1970’s. Makes me wonder what type of city Vancouver would be today if the changes of the 70’s hadn’t happened. Makes me shudder to imagine.

This was a peaceful protest – a pro marijuana rally – the police rioted. A gang of armed helmeted men attacked harmless people with nice new sticks. How primitive. How reprehensible.

Removed as per editorial policy

A good question is: how do you change the status quo? Is it desirable to have individuals with weapons policing the public, or would it be better to have a sane and equitable society where police were largely irrelevant.

This goes to the heart of the Zeitgeist movement – the evolution of civilization into a resource based economy – the library model. How absurd to steal something like a library book. How absurd to steal a car when you can use public transportation. How absurd that there are foodbanks while we pay overlords.

The police family cartel needs to be dismantled. There must be strict limitations to family members getting on the gravy train – there’s real work to be done – like building homes, cooking, singing.

So much of police business is a silly waste of time and it sucks resources from beneficial activities.

Look at how Portugal changed away from criminalizing drug users – a step towards a more civilized society. We have been privileged to have Dr. Gabor Mate working in Vancouver – a voice of sanity – a counterpoint to the uninformed uniformed bullies.